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Ezer Weizman Demands Dayan Resign for Putting Fear into Israelis’ Hearts

June 7, 1971
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The resignation of Defense Minister Moshe Dayan has been demanded by a man who said he believes Dayan is both running the government and putting fear into Israelis’ hearts–Ezer Weizman, the Herut Party leader who happens to be Dayan’s brother-in-law. Weizman, former commander of the Israeli Air Force and former member of the coalition Cabinet, made the unusual demand on Friday in an interview in Yediot Achronot. He charged that Dayan wanted a partial settlement with Egypt that was equivalent to a partial withdrawal and that would lead to total withdrawal. Weizman said Israel “should accept a partial settlement only if we know exactly what is the final settlement and if this final settlement suits us.” Until then, he said, “we should continue to sit on the Suez Canal till the Egyptians say ‘Come and talks things over.’ ” He declared that the stronger the Israeli stand, the less danger of Soviet military intervention, and that the canal was the best possible line of defense in the event of such intervention.

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